Question about patient care technician/cna.

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Sorry I dont know where to post this exactly. I want a job in health care while I finish up my degree program. I was about to sign up for a phlebotomy program until I did my research and learned that its very hard for people to find jobs. So I was thinking maybe I will do a CNA training program instead. Do hospitals hire CNAs to be patient care technicians and they train them for EKG and phlebotomy or does a CNA already have to have training in those things before a hospital hires them? I dont have enough money to do all three of them. Just the CNA and EKG or CNA and phlebotomy. Also is it hard to find a job as a CNA outside of LTC?

It all depends on the area in which you live to determine the job demand. Where I'm at, a phlebotomy certification will get you in the door. In fact, I got 2 job offers my last week of class :) Unfortunately, I can't start working until this semester is over (taking 6 classes :eek:), so here's hoping I still have a shot at a job when this semester is over :)

You should check the hospital's employment website to see available job postings. This will give you an idea of what you should focus on. As I said before, it all depends on your area.

Best of luck to you :D

I did a phlebotomy program to try and gain some experience before going to nursing school. I've gotten busy and haven't taken the cert. Test. I was thinking about geting my CNA/PCT for more nurse type experience, but are you saying if I am certified as a phlebotomist that could get me in the door to be a CNA/PCT?

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Ive seen PCT courses offered that last like 12 months and are really expensive(well over 10,000) when Ive looked on the internet. That seems insane to me, if you are gonna pay all that you might as well go to Nursing school. 876.00 sounds like a lot, but not when you consider how much a PCT class costs, and you consider that a lot of "PCT"s are just CNAs who got some OJT or classes from the hospital that hired them.

You could just get your CNA and then take a phlebotomy and/or ECG class so you can say you have SOME training or exposure in those things before applying to hospitals. I think hospitals are more concerned about PCTs being experienced CNAs than being experienced in phlebotomy, since 90% of your job will be CNA stuff.

I signed up for an EMT Specialist class since I was already an experienced EMT Basic. That covers venipuncture and ECG interpretation in addition to more advanced EMS stuff like intubation and pharmacology, and is a heck of a lot cheaper and shorter than these PCT classes ive seen.

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I make just over $14/hr which is okay for right now since I still live with my mom, but just from my first paycheck, my class paid for itself essentially. I'm glad I got the certification. My program was only 3 months. Those TV advertisements for pct programs are misleading! Smh

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